Losing It
by Daedreamfaerie
Summary: My summary is a bit too long for this little box, so I guess you'll just have to click on the blue text to read it. Come on, you know you want to...
1. Ara In Hogwarts

Ara's Adventure in Hogwarts

A Harry Potter fanfic by Daedream

Summary:

Ara thinks she is going crazy. When she learns that her ability to talk to animals is a gift and not just a side effect of madness, she is taken off via a portal and a rather annoying owl to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where her world is completely transformed. But now, away from the peaceful lull of the quiet forest in Wales, Great Britain, that Ara had come to think of as "hers," Ara feels lost and unsure of herself. Will she ever truly find herself again? Well, keep reading to find out!

Disclaimer:

I do not own Harry Potter, Dumbledore, or any other original Harry Potter characters. I do own Nightbeak and Ara. You cannot have them without my permission, and if you do ask for them you can only use Nightbeak. Thanks. Also note that I may have changed some things that happen in the series. Why? Because in my opinion, Harry Potter six is awful! They all die! (Good story though.) Please e-mail me (e-mail address is at the bottom.) If you agree with me or think otherwise. I hope this Harry Potter fanfic will be like none other.

Ara was sleeping peacefully in the branches of a tree, her small bag of belongings beside her. She had cropped red blond hair, slanted hazel green eyes, freckle-covered cheeks, and peculiarly pointed ears. She wore a black t-shirt, black pants with a chain around the waist, and thin boots. On her neck was a necklace with a pendant of a howling black wolf that she had found in the woods.

Ever since she had lost her parents in a peculiar accident (to this day, she did not know what it was,) the forest had been her home, her sanctuary. She had taught herself the uses of every plant and the name of every animal.

As soon as she had heard of her parent's tragic death, she had packed some things that were special to her and ran away, into the forest. She didn't want some orphanage taking her in. There she had stayed, foraging for food and trying to keep alive. The government had demolished her house and stolen everything inside it. The only things Ara had left of her parents were what she had packed: two photographs of her mom and dad, a sketchbook, some books to read, some food (that was long gone now) and some emergency items: a flashlight and some batteries, all long dead.

Sometimes Ara thought she was going insane. The trees and animals seemed to whisper to her, tell her stories…Sometimes she would talk back. She had been living in the forest so long that she had seemed to become part of it: Her clothes were faded and streaked with dirt and leaves and the human smell around her had almost faded. The animals of the forest accepted her as she was, for that was the way of the forest. She never did any harm, and they usually avoided her indifferently. But sometimes they would talk to her. The subjects they talked about fascinated Ara. Every now and then, a passing badger would complain about how hard it was to maintain his large family, a wandering snake would whisper happily about the food he had just eaten, a mouse would discuss politics. Ara listened to them all.

The predatory animals, like the marten and the wolf, the stoat and the weasel, would never listen or talk to her. They simply went their way, occasionally pausing to sniff the air in disgust before padding away. Some animals did not notice her at first, and landed unwarily close to her before they realized she was even there. This was why she was not at all surprised when the owl landed next to her. It fluttered down onto a nearby branch, a letter tied to its leg, watching her intently. After a brief staring contest, which the owl won, Ara hesitatingly reached out a hand to take the letter. The owl made no move to stop her, nor did it fly away or hoot warningly. She quickly reached out and untied the letter. Curiously, the owl lifted its leg for her to do so. Ara frowned. _It must be a messenger owl._ She thought to herself. She read the address on the envelope. It was written in flowing script, in ink.

Ara Aronin.

A tree

Somewhere in the forest.

Wales, Great Britain

The return address read:

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster.

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Somewhere in the Wizarding world.

Ara frowned. How did the letter know where she was? Setting that aside, she tore the letter open, dying to know what was inside. It read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Ara,

We are please to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

_Minerva McGonagall_

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

On the back, the envelope was sealed with a large waxen "H," with a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding it.

This couldn't be real. She grinned hesitatingly. "You're kidding, right?" She asked the owl, hoping it would answer, hoping that all of this was not just a dream or a prank. To her shock and surprise, the owl shook its head. "Not kidding, for sure." It cooed quietly, like an owl would. Ara gasped. A…talking owl? "What is your name, then?" she asked, just to make sure. If this really were a prank, then surely the owl would not know its name. The owl seemed to smile. "I have not a name. The wizards name us. To each other, we are simply the Owls." Ara raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "What is your…wizard's name, then?" the owl preened itself. "My name is Nightbeak, or so they call me." Nightbeak shook its head absentmindedly. "If you wish to enroll in this school, please follow me." With that, it took off. Ara tossed the unopened letter into her bag, jumped down from the tree, and raced after the owl. "Not like I have anything else to do," she muttered to herself as the Nightbeak led her through the trees.

Ara stopped, her hands on her knees, panting for breath. "Please," she gasped to the owl. "Please stop…I need to rest." Nightbeak clacked her beak. "We will be late," she warned, but she perched on a branch nevertheless and preened herself. Ara sat down and panted heavily for a few seconds. "How much farther?" Nightbeak preened herself a little more before speaking. "…We will get there soon. May we go now?"

Without waiting for an answer, Nightbeak flew away. Ara got to her feet and reluctantly stumbled after her.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a clearing with a stone statue of a wizard raising his wand. Ara had to stop again. "Please tell me we will be there soon…" she muttered to the owl. Nightbeak circled a few times. "We are here." "…?" Nightbeak circled around the statue a few more times before perching on the tip of the wand. After a moment, a glowing circle lit up around the statue. "Quickly," Nightbeak cooed. "Step into the circle and repeat after me; '_patefacio, obvius, obviam, expositus, directus, aperio!_'" Ara stepped into the circle and shivered slightly. A slight breeze had picked up and the hairs on the back of her neck were rising. "What do all those words mean?" she asked. Nightbeak cooed impatiently. "Don't ask, just say it! Quickly, before the portal closes!" Ara took a deep breath and recited: "_patefacio, obvius, obviam, expositus, directus, aperio!"_

The circle of light around them exploded with brightness until it filled Ara's vision. She shut her eyes quickly. When she opened them, she was in a world entirely different from her own.

Well, that's the end of the first chapter. I hope you liked it.

Yeah, I know this is slightly Mary Sue-ish…I am working on it. Any tips? Please e-mail me at Don't worry, I check my e-mail regularly.

Oh and by the way, just thought I'd tell you, I am Nyghtvision's little sister. The author of The Ivory Files and other good fanfics. Just ask her.

Also, please check out oOforeverobsessedOo. She is my friend and her older sister and they are both very good fanfic writers.


	2. The Train: A Very Short Chapter

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its strange people. (Wish I did, though) I only own Nightbeak the owl and Ara.

Also, just to tell you, in case you've read the story "A Star and Emerald Green Eyes" by oOforeverobsessedOo, I want you to know that I am NOT copying her. I don't DO that sort of thing. They were pretty much parallel ideas. Really. They were.

But anyway, I hope you like this fanfic.

The Train Station

Ara looked around her. She was at some sort of train station. However, there was no train. It seemed like any old train station except for the people. Nightbeak was nowhere to be seen. People bustled by carrying cages with owls, books of spells, and some even carried toads. Ara tapped a passing person on the shoulder. It was a tall, gangly boy with red hair and lots of freckles. He smiled at her. "There's only one train," he grinned. "You're just in time. It should be coming soon." Ara nodded. Then she asked, "What's your name, then?" The boy smiled again. "Ron." Ara held back for a moment, shy. Then she said, "My name's Ara. Would you like to sit with me?" Ron shrugged, then checked his watch. "Oy, I'm going to be late!" he dashed off without another word.

"Hey, wait…" Ara called after him, but he did not hear her, and within a moment, he was out of sight. Ara sprinted off in the same direction, hoping that the train would be there. After a moment, she was lost. She bent over, panting for breath, and searched for Ron. A tuft of red hair bobbed nearby, and then vanished. Ara set off in that direction. She didn't see him after that, but the farther she went, the more the crowd thickened, so she decided to keep going.

However, she soon realized she had no idea where she was going at all, and Nightbeak had not thought to give her directions. She made her way over to a bench and put her head in her hands, trying not to cry. She felt so lost and alone in this strange new world…

"Er…are you alright?" A male voice asked above her. Ara wiped her eyes and looked up.

A tall young boy with dark hair, glasses, and piercing green eyes looked down at her. Ara sighed. "No."

Then she mumbled, in a shy jumble of words: "…whereisthe train…Hogwarts?" Harry frowned. "What?"

Ara mumbled again, this time more clearly, "Where is the train to Hogwarts?"

Harry paused a moment, making sure he had heard correctly. "Should be here right now," he muttered. "It's LATE." Just then, a train pulled into the station with a large gold "Hogwarts" painted on the side. Ara pointed at it. "I think that's it." She said. Harry turned around. Then he smiled sheepishly and collected his objects. "Well, I have to run," he said, and jogged off towards the train. Ara blinked a few times before she got up and followed Harry onto the train.

Well, that's the end of the second chapter. Sorry it's so horribly short…

Hope ya like it. No flames, please. Same stuff as the first chapter.


	3. Hogwarts At Last

Hogwarts at last

Ara sat on the seat of the train and watched the scenery roll by the window. It was nothing but trees and more trees, as far as the eye could see. Ron had been trying to get her attention for the majority of the ride so far, and Ara tried her best to ignore him. Then, finally, after a very loud 'PSST!' she whirled around. "What is it?" she asked, not too angrily but not too happy either. Ron grinned. "Want a Chocolate Frog?" Ara paused. She _was_ hungry. But she had no idea what a chocolate frog was. "C'mon, try it!" Ron urged. Ara shook her head. "I'm not hun---" She was interrupted by a loud grumbling from her stomach and she remembered that she had not eaten real food for a long time. She smiled sheepishly. "I guess I am a little hungry. Thanks." She took the Chocolate Frog that was offered to her. Ara gulped, wondering if this frog was enchanted or not. She did not have to wonder for long. Without warning, the frog gave a loud croak and hopped away. Ara's stomach growled again. She sighed. "Sorry." Ron shrugged. "Happens all the time. Never mind, try some Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Oi, here's Harry." Ara politely refused the offered bag of beans and turned around. Harry Potter was striding down the aisle, furious. Hermione was behind him, frantically trying to console him, but he shook her off and marched over to where Ron was sitting. Ron paled slightly. "Uh, Harry, maybe you should---" He broke off when Harry snarled ferociously at him, spraying him with spit. Ron grimaced and shot a look at Ara that said clearly, _don't get involved. _Harry saw the look and followed it. His eyes slowly unglazed and he jammed on his glasses to look at Ara. A slow look of recognition spread across his face. "Hey," he muttered. "You're that—that _girl_ I saw outside." Harry sat down. "So, how's life?" Ara blinked. _He was furious a moment ago…_She thought worriedly to herself. "Well," she replied shyly, "Life is scary. I don't what I'm doing, or why I'm here." Ara sighed and clutched her bag of stuff close to her chest, almost protectively. Harry raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm not sure what you're doing, either, but I think I know why you're here…" Ara looked up. "Why, then?" she asked softly. Harry shrugged. "Well, if you got a letter inviting you here, then you must have some special powers." Harry eyed her curiously. Ara flicked her gaze downwards. She didn't want anyone to know that she was crazy; that once she had lived with the animals and believed she could talk to them. Harry raised an eyebrow. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay…I think I know how you feel. I blew up my aunt once…" Ara quietly excused herself and went to another seat. She did not want to seem rude, but she had been so isolated for so many years that it had almost become awkward to converse with her own kind. She pulled her worn, almost threadbare jacket closer to her chest and opened the window, breathing in the icy fresh air. Would she ever fit in again?

Thirty minutes or so later, a large castle came into view. The quiet solitude of the train suddenly became loud as the people became restless. Ara winced a little. Growing up in the still quiet of the forest, there had been no loud noises. It was hard for Ara to adjust. The train came to a slow, screeching halt. Ara stood up and followed the crowd off the train, an insignificant speck in such a large expanse.

The walk to Hogwarts Castle was wet and muddy, and Ara's threadbare boots barely protected her feet from the cold. Ara walked on, each step more unsure than the last. She paused for a moment under the awning and looked up at what was now her new home, in a way. It was a massive fortress of stone, framed against a dark, overcast sky, with gloomy-looking gargoyles framing the windows, gutters, and doorways. Ara shivered and stepped inside.

Inside, the atmosphere was warm and cozy. An enchanted suit of armor that was used as a doorman creakily removed her jacket and wandered off with it. Ara watched him—her—it stump away, wide-eyed, before people behind her started grumbling.

Ara stepped into the shadows, unsure where to go. No one had told her, or directed her. She tried to follow the crowd, but they all seemed to be going in different directions.

At last, Ara gave up trying to go somewhere and set off to explore.

Sooner or later, she found the library. Ara smiled when she stepped in, happy in the familiarity of the mazes of never-ending bookshelves. She had visited the library at least once a day as a child, and she would stay there for hours, reading every book that was ever written. Ara fingered the dusty books, examining the titles of some as she passed. One read, in thick gold lettering "_101 Spells and Jinxes._" another read " **Magic for Dummies**." _All of the books here look mysterious and interesting,_ Ara thought blissfully to herself. She pulled out a stack of books, plopped herself in a comfy chair, and began to read hungrily, flipping the pages inhumanly fast.

It was like she was in paradise. There was no one at all to disturb her; the library was completely silent. Too silent, in fact. After a while, Ara noticed the disturbing silence and shut her book, frowning. She closed her eyes and listened intently to the sounds of the library…

She had played the Listening Game for a long time now and had become quite good at it. Many times in the forest Ara would lie on her back in the grass and just listen to everything that was going on.

Now she did it again, this time out of the protectiveness of the woods. There were no sounds at first. She concentrated and listened harder. Still nothing.

Confused, Ara got up and walked around. The library was still and silent, with not a breeze rustling the pages of any books. It seemed completely abandoned.

Ara paused and listened again. This time there was a noise. A steady rustling noise of a cloak brushing past the bookshelves was coming closer and closer….

Ara opened her eyes and saw Madame Pince standing a few bookshelves back, glaring at her intensely. Ara blinked, grabbed her bag and backed away quickly. When she was out of sight, she ran out of the library and leaned against the wall, panting.

Someone laughed above her. Ara looked up, annoyed. A tallish girl, about Ara's height with bushy brown hair stood next to her, grinning. "Met Madame Pince for the first time, have you?" Ara just smiled. The girl shook her head, amused. "I'm Hermione. And you are…?" Ara looked down. "…mmph…Ara…" Hermione frowned. "What did you say?" Ara repeated, this time a little louder. "I'm Ara." Hermione smiled. "Well, nice to meet you then, Ara. You look a little lost." Ara nodded. " I am. Why is it all so abandoned? Where is everybody?" Hermione shrugged. "They're probably eating dinner at the great hall. I was just going down to the library to read when I saw you."  
Ara's stomach grumbled at the mention of food. "It's a pity I missed it," she muttered. Hermione checked the hourglass that hung around her neck and shook her head. "You still have time, if you change quickly. Whose house are you in?" Ara frowned. Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Haven't you been sorted yet?" Ara continued staring at her like she was speaking a different language. Hermione sighed. "Ummm…. Were you not here last year? Every student comes to Hogwarts in their first year…and you look a lot older…how old _are_ you?" Ara blinked, a little overwhelmed. "Hmm…what?"

"I said, how old are you?"

Ara sighed. "I—I don't know…" Hermione scowled. "Really, you must know!"

Ara shook her head and walked away. Everything seemed so strange…

"Where are you going!" Hermione yelled after her. Ara walked faster. She had absolutely no idea.

_Where AM I going….?_ Ara pondered to herself. The Evil Staircases wouldn't let her into any of the dorms, so here she sat, leaning against a wall in the hallway, Her jacket over her head so that no one would see her. _What am I doing here…_

"Excuse me…Ms. Ara Aronin?"

Ara looked up and gasped. A ghost was towering over her, floating an inch above the ground. His neck was almost completely severed and he held a letter in his right hand.

"You…you're…a…ghost…" Ara tried to slip away. The ghost sighed. "Yes, yes, I'm a ghost. That's very rude, you know, running away like that when I'm trying to talk to you." He snapped.

Ara flinched. "I…um…your…name?" The ghost bowed. His head toppled off, hanging by a piece of flesh. Ara gasped. The ghost straightened and replaced his head to his neck. "Nearly Headless Nick, at your service, miss. A letter for you." He passed her the letter. "This is from the Headmaster. He wants to see you. In his office. Good day…"  
He drifted away. "Wait! You didn't tell me where it was!" She yelled after him. But he vanished into the wall. Ara rolled her eyes. Then she spotted someone farther down the hall. She slung her bag onto her back and ran towards the student. "Um, excuse, me…where's the Headmaster's office?" the student turned around. It was Harry. Ara smiled. "Hi, Harry! Can you tell me---" "Yes, the Headmaster's office. You mean you don't know?" He frowned. "Oy, you aren't a first year, are you? I don't have time for this…" He turned away. Ara grabbed him by the wrist. "Listen, you annoying person…I...Am…Not…A…First…Year! Where is the Headmaster's office!"

Harry backed away. "GouptheSlidingStaircasedownthehallwaytakealeft." He said in one breath and ran away. Ara sighed. "Don't lose control again, Ara." She told herself sternly. "Now, what was it? Go down the sliding Staircase…no, up. _Up_ the Sliding Staircase…" She dashed up the Sliding Staircase and jumped off the stairs just as they were starting to move. She sprinted down the hallway and ran right into a tall, ancient wizard with a gleam in his light blue eyes. She gasped.

"I—I'm sorry." She stuttered.

The wizard just smiled calmly and looked at her over the tops of his crescent-shaped glasses. "Not at all. I was coming to see you, in fact."

"….Headmaster…?" Ara squeaked.

Albus Dumbledore nodded sagely. "I think we should go back to my office."

Loosens wrists There. I hope you like it. While I was typing this, I lost a whole page of my work…It was very annoying. And I'm not a very fast typist. Sorry the last chapter was so short…it looked like a lot more on Microsoft Word. I'm not really sure where to go on this, so if you have any ideas, please let me know. I'll be sure to give you credit. Also, thanks to oOforeverobsessedOo for the ideas and constructive criticism.


	4. The Sorting

Losing It

By Daedream

DISCLAIMER: Yes, I own Harry Potter, he lives in my closet and I feed him biscuits at night. Here you go Harry…it's cheese-flavored…

Chapter 4: The Sorting

Dumbledore's Office

They entered a circulatory room. Glass bookshelves lined the walls; there was an assortment of silver objects on the desk. In the center of the room a colorful bird sat on a perch, crooning happily. Ara stroked it lovingly. "…A phoenix…" she breathed. "Where on earth did you get it…?" Dumbledore waved his wand and a fluffy purple chair appeared. "Please, do sit." He smiled at the phoenix. "That is Faukes." Then he turned to her. "I am…surprised that you… know this. Not many… know… of the… Phoenix…" Ara waved it away with a dismissive hand. "I read a lot of books as a child…before they were all burned…but anyway, you didn't say where the phoenix was from. I'd like to know, if you don't mind." Dumbledore sighed. "That…is of no…great importance…" Ara noticed, with a little sympathy, that he paused every few words to inhale a large, wheezing breath. He looked quite strong and stable for his age. Probably magic…

"I am growing old, yes…I have not long to live in this world…"

Dumbledore replied breathily, as if sensing her thoughts.

"…But death is not sad, Ara. It is simply the passage from one life to another…do keep that in mind."

Ara sighed. "So my parents just passed from one life to another, is that right? They're just…in another life now? Without me?"

"…Yes. But someday…someday you will join them…of that I am sure." He paused for a moment, then continued. "You have endured quite a great loss, Ara. I understand that. Is there…anything…you…wish…to...tell…me?"

Ara shook her head, changing the subject. "No. Am I in trouble?" Dumbledore laughed. "In trouble! Whatever for? No, not at all…there is simply a matter of sorting that I wish to discuss." Ara frowned. "…Sorting?" Dumbledore nodded, rose from his seat, and picked up a strange looking pointed hat from a high shelf. He placed it on her head. "This hat will determine which house you belong to." Ara frowned doubtfully but she left it there.  
"Don't believe in me, eh?"

Ara jumped. "…it…talks…" she squeaked. Dumbledore smiled. "Indeed it does…what does it have to say, I wonder?"

The Hat growled. "Don't treat me like that! I work all day, shoved onto children's smelly heads, and what do I get for it? Disrespect, I tell you, this is not---"

"Silence."

The Hat rolled the creases it had for eyes and fell silent. There was a long pause as it examined Ara's brain. "hmm….let's see…. I see intelligence, wit, observation, bravery, kindness, and determination…Oh my. Oh dear. This has never happened before…. not in the history of Hogwarts, oh no no no…"

"What is it?" Asked Ara timidly. "Oh dear, I didn't do something wrong, did I?"

The Hat sighed. "You fit exactly into each of the four houses. But which house do you want to be in? Dumbledore, why don't you explain each house?" Dumbledore nodded. "Okay, Hogwarts in a nutshell: Gryffindor is based mainly upon bravery and honor, Ravenclaw is based upon wit and leaning, Hufflepuff is based upon loyalty and justice, and lastly, Slytherin, is based upon cunning and ambition. Now, Ara, you seem to fit in all of these houses. The Hat could test you again…it may hurt slightly…or you could choose for your own. Which one do you prefer?" Ara was gazing off into space.

"You said it never happened before…" she murmured absent-mindedly. "Well, actually…" The Hat gave Dumbledore a sideward glance. "There was this one case…"

"Ah, yes." Dumbledore chuckled. "Harry Potter. Do you know him?"

Ara nodded. "I met him, yes. What about him?"

Now Dumbledore gazed off into space, his eyes growing misty with memory. "He fit…equally into both Slytherin and Gryffindor. The only way we could put him into either house was because he _chose_ Gryffindor. But anyway, do you think you have enough information to pick a house? Because you cannot choose again, once your name has been put into the record."

Ara smiled. "Oh, I know which one I want. Definitely Ravenclaw." She paused for a moment, then muttered to herself: "Wit and learning…I wonder why Hermione isn't in Ravenclaw…?"

The hat answered her, hearing her thoughts rather than her voice. "Yes, Hermione is a complicated girl. However, she valued chivalry and loyalty and such enough that Gryffindor seemed to fit more. Ravenclaw, you say? Yes, yes, I think you'd be perfect for it. Don't you agree, Professor?"

But Ara was lost in her own thoughts. _Bravery….boy, could I use some of that…Gryffindor does sound fun…hmm…_

"Ah-HA!" The Hat exclaimed. "Indecision, eh?"

Dumbledore frowned at her. "Miss Aronin, we haven't got all night."

Ara sighed. "I choose…Gryffindor!"

The Hat yawned. "Fabulous. Now off to bed with you."

Dumbledore smiled cheerfully as she left. "Good evening, Ara Aronin. And best of luck in Gryffindor."


End file.
